System, mobile terminal and method for storing data into web storage using wireless lan

ABSTRACT

Provided are a system, mobile terminal, and method for storing data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service. The method includes setting synchronization of the mobile terminal and a web server providing a web storage service; setting data of the mobile terminal to be stored into a web storage provided by the web server; sensing whether the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area; connecting, if it is sensed that the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area, the mobile terminal to the web server; and transmitting the set mobile terminal data to the web server.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to anapplication entitled “SYSTEM, MOBILE TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR STORINGDATA INTO WEB STORAGE USING WIRELESS LAN” filed in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office on Jul. 10, 2006 and assigned Serial No.2006-0064631, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a system, mobile terminal and methodfor storing data in a web storage using a wireless Local Area Network(LAN) service, and in particular, to a system and method for storingdata stored in a mobile terminal into a web storage using a wireless LANservice when the mobile terminal enters a wireless LAN service area, andto a mobile terminal using the method.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Nowadays, using only mobile terminals, users can use various additivefunctions, for example games, a digital camera, an MP3 player, ascheduler, a housekeeping book and directory functions. Among thefunctions, users mainly use high-capacity services based on multimediadata, for example, games, still image data, moving image data and MP3music data. However, mobile terminals have relatively small storagespaces compared with the high-capacity services, and thus the mobileterminals have a limitation in storing multimedia data.

In order to improve a multimedia data storage rate of a mobile terminal,various techniques have been introduced, for example, to expand thecapacity of an internal memory of a mobile terminal, mounting a memorycard externally on a mobile terminal, transmitting data of a mobileterminal to a Personal Computer (PC) using a Universal Serial Bus (USB)cable, and storing mobile terminal data on the Internet through awireless Internet connection.

However, expanding the capacity of an internal memory has a problem ofincreased size of a mobile terminal caused by expansion of the size ofthe internal memory. Mounting a memory card externally on a mobileterminal has a problem of carrying the mobile terminal with a memorycard so as to use multimedia data stored in the memory card.Transmitting mobile terminal data to a PC using a USB cable has aproblem of carrying the mobile terminal with a USB cable for connectingto a PC so as to store data stored in the mobile terminal into the PC,otherwise it is impossible to store data in a PC, and the PC also needsto be turned on and be connected to the USB cable. Storing mobileterminal data on the Internet has a relatively slower data transmissionspeed than transmitting mobile terminal data to a PC, and requiresconnection to a wireless Internet for data transmission, therebyincreasing costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made to solve the above-mentioned problems, andtherefore, the present invention provides a system, mobile terminal andmethod for expanding a space for storing a high-capacity service to aweb storage, thereby reducing a storage space limitation.

The present invention further provides a system, mobile terminal, andmethod for reducing the quantity of portable equipments required to usemultimedia data stored in an external storage device.

The present invention further provides a system and method forsimplifying a procedure for storing mobile terminal data into a webstorage, and a mobile terminal thereof.

The present invention further provides a system and method for storingmobile terminal data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service,thereby reducing costs, and a mobile terminal thereof.

The present invention provides a system and method for storing mobileterminal data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service, and amobile terminal thereof.

A system according to the present invention includes a mobile terminalfor sensing entry to a wireless LAN service area to use a wireless LANservice, a wireless connection device for setting the wireless LANservice area, a web server providing a web storage for storing mobileterminal data, and a broadband network for connecting the mobileterminal to the web server.

The mobile terminal may be synchronized with the web server to transmitdata stored in the mobile terminal to the web server when of enteringthe wireless LAN service area.

The mobile terminal may set data to be stored into the web storage,wherein the storable data may be, for example, a directory, moving imagedata, still image data and MP3 music data.

The web server may store data transmitted from the mobile terminal intothe web storage.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,there is provided a wireless LAN service system for storing mobileterminal data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service, whichincludes a mobile terminal capable of using a wireless LAN service; awireless connection device for setting a wireless LAN service area; anda web server providing a web storage service for storing mobile terminaldata.

Preferably, the mobile terminal includes a control unit for settingsynchronization of the web server with the mobile terminal andtransmitting mobile terminal data to the web server; a display unit fordisplaying a storage completion message when the mobile terminal data iscompletely stored into a web storage provided by the web server; and astorage unit for storing an identifier of the web server synchronizedwith the mobile terminal and the mobile terminal data to be transmittedto the web server.

Preferably, the control unit includes a setting unit for synchronizingthe web server and the mobile terminal, setting a mobile terminal userID and password to be used in the web server, and setting the mobileterminal data to be stored into the web storage provided by the webserver; a sensing unit for sensing whether the mobile terminal enters orexits the wireless LAN service area; and a transmitting unit fortransmitting the set data to the web server.

Preferably, the web server includes a control module for executingmember authentication by the user ID and password set in the mobileterminal; a web storage for providing a storage space for storing thetransmitted mobile terminal data; and a file module for executing asystem file check on the transmitted data stored in the web storage.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,there is provided a method for storing mobile terminal data into a webstorage using a wireless LAN service, which includes settingsynchronization of a mobile terminal and a web server providing a webstorage service; setting mobile terminal data to be stored into a webstorage provided by the web server; sensing whether the mobile terminalenters a wireless LAN service area; if it is sensed that the mobileterminal enters a wireless LAN service area, connecting the mobileterminal to the web server; and transmitting the set mobile terminaldata to the web server.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more apparent from the following detailed description inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system for storing data into a webstorage using a wireless LAN service according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a mobileterminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a main configuration of a webserver according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for storing data into a web storageusing a wireless LAN service according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 5 is a detailed flowchart of a service-setting step for using awireless LAN service according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention aredescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Thesame reference symbols identify the same or corresponding elements inthe drawings. Detailed descriptions of constructions or processes knownin the art may be omitted to avoid obscuring the invention inunnecessary detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system includes a mobile terminal 100, awireless connection device 200, and a web server 300.

The mobile terminal 100 has a wireless LAN card therein to use awireless LAN service, and transmits data stored therein to the webserver 300 using the wireless LAN service. For this purpose, as shown inFIG. 2, the mobile terminal 100 preferably includes a wireless unit 110;an input unit 120; a control unit 130, which includes a setting unit131, a sensing unit 132, and a transmitting unit 133; a display unit140; and a storage unit 150.

The wireless connection device 200 is installed to set a wireless LANservice area. The wireless LAN service area is an area where a wirelessLAN service is available, and covers a predetermined distance from alocation where the wireless connection device 200 is installed.

The web server 300 provides a web storage service for storing data ofthe mobile terminal 100. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, the webserver 300 preferably includes a control module 310, a web storage 320and a file module 330.

A main configuration of the mobile terminal 100 is described in detailwith reference to FIG. 2. The wireless unit 110 executes wirelesscommunications between the mobile terminal 100 and a mobile network. Forexample, the wireless unit 110 transmits and receives voice data, textmessages and multimedia messages through a wireless network.

The input unit 120 may include keypads, touch screens, touch pads orscroll wheels, and receives operating signals input by a user forcontrolling an operation of the mobile terminal 100 and provides theoperating signals to the control unit 130.

The control unit 130 controls the whole operation to be executed throughunits of the mobile terminal 100. In particular, the control unit 130sets synchronization of the web server 300 and the mobile terminal 100,obtains member authentication from the web server 300, and transmitsdata of the mobile terminal 100 to the web server 300. For this purpose,the control unit 130 preferably includes the setting unit 131, thesensing unit 132 and the transmitting unit 133.

The setting unit 131 sets synchronization of the web server 300 and themobile terminal 100 by a hotkey, or by a callback Uniform ResourceLocator (URL) or URL address of the web server 300. The setting unit 131also sets a specific data stored in the mobile terminal 100 to be storedinto the web storage 320. For example, the specific data may bedirectory data, moving image data, still image data, or MP3 music data.The setting unit 131 also sets a user ID and password by subscribing tothe web server 300 to store the specific data into the web storage 320.

The sensing unit 132 senses whether the mobile terminal 100 enters orexits a wireless LAN service area by sensing signals of the wirelessconnection device 200.

When the sensing unit 132 senses that the mobile terminal 100 enters awireless LAN service area, the transmitting unit 133 transmits data ofthe mobile terminal 100 set by the setting unit 131 to the web server300 through a broadband network. When the sensing unit 132 senses thatthe mobile terminal 100 exits the wireless LAN service area during datatransmission to the web server 300, the transmitting unit 133 stopstransmission of the data of the mobile terminal 100. Thereafter, if thesensing unit 132 senses that the mobile terminal 100 reenters thewireless LAN service area, the transmitting unit 133 retransmits thedata, transmission of which to the web server 300 was stopped due to themobile terminal 100 exiting the wireless LAN service area, from astopped portion of transmitted data or from a start of the datatransmission.

The display unit 140 displays the state and result of various operationsexecuted in units of the mobile terminal 100, and a plurality ofinformation, by control of the control unit 130. Particularly, when dataof the mobile terminal 100 set by the setting unit 131 is completelystored into the web storage 320, the display unit 140 displays a storagecompletion message. When the mobile terminal 100 exits the wireless LANservice area, the display unit 140 displays a warning message informingthat data transmission has stopped. If the mobile terminal 100 reentersthe wireless LAN service area, the display unit 140 displays a messageto select whether the transmitting unit 133 should retransmit the datawhose transmission was stopped from a stopped portion of the data orfrom the start of the data.

The storage unit 150 stores data (for example, a setting state or dataabout a menu) related to operation of the mobile terminal 100 by controlof the control unit 130. The storage unit 150 also stores a hotkey, or acallback URL or URL address of the web server 300 for settingsynchronization of the web server 300 with the mobile terminal 100 bythe setting unit 131, and stores specific data of the mobile terminal100 to be stored into the web storage 320 provided by the web server300. The storage unit 150 also stores the user ID and password requiredfor connection to the web server 300 set by the setting unit 131.

Referring to FIG. 3, the control module 310 controls the whole operationto be executed in the units of the web server 300. Particularly, thecontrol module 310 executes member authentication through the user IDand password set in the mobile terminal 100.

The web storage 320 stores data of the mobile terminal 100 transmittedto the web server 300 through a broadband network by control of thecontrol module 310.

In the case that specific data stored in the web storage 320 is lost ordamaged, the file module 330 executes a system file check by changingthe name of the data and restoring the data into a stored version of thedata by control of the control module 310.

Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit performs setting of the mobileterminal 100 and the web server 300 so as to transmit data of the mobileterminal 100 to the web server 300 (S10). Step S10 of performing settingis described in detail with reference to FIG. 5 as follows.

Referring to FIG. 5, the control unit 130 sets synchronization of theweb server 300 and the mobile terminal 100 by a hotkey, a callback URLor a URL address so as to store specific data stored in the storage unit150 of the mobile terminal 100 into the web storage 320 provided by theweb server 300, in step S11. The control unit 130 sets the user ID andpassword for connection to the web server 300 set at step S11, in stepS12, then sets the specific data stored in the storage unit 150 of themobile terminal 100 to be stored into the web storage 150, in step S13.The specific data may be directory data, moving image data, still imagedata or MP3 music data. The specific data may be set by the userwhenever the mobile terminal 100 enters the wireless LAN service area,or may be set previously by the user to be automatically executed whenthe mobile terminal 100 enters the wireless LAN service area.Preferably, performing setting at step S10 is executed by the settingunit 131 of the control unit 130.

The control unit 130 senses whether the mobile terminal 100 enters thewireless LAN service area having the wireless connection device 200, instep S20. Preferably, the sensing is executed by the sensing unit 132 ofthe control unit 130.

If the control unit 130 senses that the mobile terminal 100 enters thewireless LAN service area, the control unit 130 transmits the user IDand password set for connection to the web server 300 to determinewhether the user of the mobile terminal 100 is authenticated by the webserver 300 as a member of the web server 300 in step S30. Memberauthentication may be obtained by inputting the ID and password wheneverthe mobile terminal 100 is connected to the web server 300, or may beobtained when synchronization of the mobile terminal 100 with the webserver 300 is executed, and thus in the case of reconnection, theauthentication step may be omitted.

If the user is authenticated as a member of the web server 300, thecontrol unit 130 is connected to the web server 300 in step S40.

The control unit 130 then transmits the set specific data of the mobileterminal 100 to the web server 300 through a broadband network in stepS50. Preferably, the transmission of the data is executed by thetransmitting unit 133 of the control unit 130.

The sensing unit 132 of the control unit 130 senses whether the mobileterminal exits the wireless LAN service area during data transmission instep S60. If the mobile terminal 100 exits the wireless LAN service areaduring data transmission, the control unit 130 controls the display unit140 to display a warning message notifying that data transmission isstopped and controls the transmission unit 133 to stop data transmissionto the web server 300 in step S70.

The sensing unit 132 of the control unit 130 senses whether the mobileterminal 100 reenters the wireless LAN service area in step S80. If themobile terminal 100 reenters the wireless LAN service area, the controlunit 130 determines whether to retransmit the data whose transmissionwas stopped in step S90. If the data is to be retransmitted, thetransmission unit 133 retransmits the data from a stopped portion of thedata or from the start of the data in step S100.

If the mobile terminal 100 does not exit the wireless LAN service areaat step S60, the control unit 100 continues transmission of the setspecific data to the web server 300 through a broadband network, and theprocess continues at step S110.

The web storage 320 of the web server 300 stores the data transmittedfrom the transmitting unit 133 of the mobile terminal 100 by control ofthe control module 310 in step S110.

When the data transmitted from the transmitting unit 133 of the mobileterminal 100 to the web server 300 is completely stored into the webstorage 320, the control unit 130 controls the display unit 140 todisplay a storage completion message in step S120.

As described above, the present invention has an effect of expanding astorage space for storing mobile terminal data to a web storage, therebyreducing a limitation of the storage space.

The present invention also has an effect of storing data of a mobileterminal into a web storage without requiring a connecting cable betweenthe mobile terminal and a PC, thereby overcoming a problem of limitedspace and equipment.

Further, the present invention has an effect of storing data of a mobileterminal into a web storage in a wireless LAN service area, therebyreducing costs rendered in connection to a wireless Internet.

While exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed in this specification, it will be understood by those skilledin the art that various changes or modifications of the embodiments arepossible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

1. A wireless LAN service system for storing data of a mobile terminalinto a web storage using a wireless LAN service, the system comprising:a mobile terminal capable of using a wireless LAN service; a wirelessconnection device for setting a wireless LAN service area; and a webserver providing a web storage service for storing data of the mobileterminal.
 2. The wireless LAN service system of claim 1, wherein themobile terminal comprises: a control unit for setting synchronization ofthe web server with the mobile terminal and transmitting mobile terminaldata to the web server; a display unit for displaying a storagecompletion message when the mobile terminal data is completely storedinto a web storage provided by the web server; and a storage unit forstoring an identifier of the web server synchronized with the mobileterminal and mobile terminal data to be transmitted to the web server.3. The wireless LAN service system of claim 2, wherein the control unitcomprises: a setting unit for synchronizing the web server and themobile terminal, setting a mobile terminal user ID and password to beused in the web server, and setting the mobile terminal data to bestored into the web storage provided by the web server; a sensing unitfor sensing whether the mobile terminal enters or exits the wireless LANservice area; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the set data tothe web server.
 4. The wireless LAN service system of claim 3, whereinthe web server comprises: a control module for executing memberauthentication by the user ID and password set in the mobile terminal; aweb storage for providing a storage space for storing the transmittedmobile terminal data; and a file module for executing a system filecheck on the transmitted data stored in the web storage.
 5. The wirelessLAN service system of claim 2, wherein the mobile terminal data containsat least one of directory data, moving image data, still image data andMP3 music data.
 6. The wireless LAN service system of claim 4, wherein,in the case that transmitted data stored in the web storage is lost ordamaged, the system file check changes the name of the data and restoresthe data into a stored version of the data.
 7. A mobile terminal forstoring data into a web storage using a wireless LAN service, the mobileterminal comprising: a control unit for setting synchronization with aweb server and transmitting data stored in the mobile terminal to theweb server; a display unit for displaying a storage completion messagewhen the data is completely stored into a web storage provided by theweb server; and a storage unit for storing setting data of thesynchronization of the web server and data to be transmitted to the webserver.
 8. The mobile terminal of claim 7, wherein the control unitcomprises: a setting unit for synchronizing the web server and themobile terminal, setting a mobile terminal user ID and password to beused in the web server, and then setting mobile terminal data to bestored into the web storage provided by the web server; a sensing unitfor sensing whether the mobile terminal enters or exits a wireless LANservice area; and a transmitting unit connected to the web server fortransmitting the set data to the web server.
 9. The mobile terminal ofclaim 8, wherein the control unit obtains member authentication from theweb server by the set user ID and password.
 10. The mobile terminal ofclaim 8, wherein, if the sensing unit senses that the mobile terminalexits the wireless LAN service area during transmission of the set datato the web server, the transmitting unit stops transmission of the data.11. The mobile terminal of claim 10, wherein the transmitting unitretransmits the mobile terminal data whose transmission was stopped froma stopped portion of the data or from the start of the data.
 12. Amethod for storing mobile terminal data into a web storage using awireless LAN service, the method comprising: setting synchronization ofthe mobile terminal and a web server providing a web storage service;setting mobile terminal data to be stored into a web storage provided bythe web server; sensing whether the mobile terminal enters a wirelessLAN service area; connecting, if it is sensed that the mobile terminalenters a wireless LAN service area, the mobile terminal to the webserver; and transmitting the set mobile terminal data to the web server.13. The method for storing the mobile terminal data of claim 12, furthercomprising: setting a user ID and password subscribing to the web serversynchronized with the mobile terminal.
 14. The method for storing themobile terminal data of claim 13, further comprising: obtaining memberauthentication from the web server by the set user ID and password. 15.The method for storing the mobile terminal data of claim 12, furthercomprising: stopping, if it is sensed that the mobile terminal exits thewireless LAN service during transmission of the set mobile terminal datato the web server, transmission of the data.
 16. The method for storingthe mobile terminal data of claim 15, further comprising: selecting, ifit is sensed that the mobile terminal, after exiting the wireless LANservice area, reenters the wireless LAN area, retransmission of the datawhose transmission was stopped.
 17. The method for storing the mobileterminal data of claim 16, wherein retransmission of the data whosetransmission was stopped is one of retransmission from a stopped portionof the data and retransmission from the start of the data.
 18. Themethod for storing the mobile terminal data of claim 12, furthercomprising: storing the data transmitted from the mobile terminal intothe web storage.
 19. The method for storing the mobile terminal data ofclaim 18, further comprising: displaying, when the mobile terminal datais completely stored into the web storage, a storage completion messageon the mobile terminal.